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Thursday, 29 December 2016

AN ECONOMIC HISTORY OF MODISM

Either in central politics or not, Modi was always the subject of discussion after 2000. He is known for his speeches, but his works speak louder than that. When he was in Gujrat, state had to face some natural disasters and one could not imagine that Gujarat would stand once again. After these disasters and troubles in 2002, Modi had to face flak from the opposition and pressure was building on Modi to quit. However, after winning the election of 2002, Modi’s vision was shifted to economic development of Gujrat. He launched the programme of vibrant Gujrat. He attended meetings with business persons and started to rebuild the development process of Gujrat. And the result – we all have witnessed. The Gujarat Model was in itself an election agenda for the BJP and we just cannot deny it that Gujarat has indeed developed!

Coming to the national politics, he was elected the prime minister of India in 2014. His indication towards shaping the Indian economy and push it towards a path forward can be easily seen from the first month since he assumed office. Here is list of the key achievements of Narendra Modi in the terms of the country’s economic growth:

Jan-Dhan Yojana: The announcement of this yojana was made on the 15th of August 2014, and it was launched by prime minister of India on 28th august 2014. This is regarded one of the greatest work in the field of financial inclusion in the history of India. And not only India, the plan has been appreciated across the globe because of its execution on a wide scale. A country where half of its population did not have the facility of bank account, one can easily imagine what was happening in the name of development and ‘garibi hatao’ yojanas! Some economists also argued that India was on the path of development and this can make anyone annoyed who understands a little bit of economics. Now, about the yojana, executed by financial services and undertaken by the ministry of finance, on the inauguration day, 1.5 crore bank accounts were opened under this scheme. Guinness World Records recognised the achievements made under PMJDY. By 1 June 2016, 22 crore accounts were opened under this scheme and ₹ 384.11 billion were deposited in those accounts. Thus, on two visible fronts, this policy was a huge success – in the terms of the numbers of accounts opened and also in the terms of the money deposited in the banks. This was considered, and actually was, for the people who could open their accounts without a single rupee. However, the deposits were remarkable and it shows how eager the people without a single bank account in the family were to come under the benefits of banking services.

Make in India: It is one of the greatest initiatives taken by the Indian government to facilitate investment in India. It was launched by PM Modi on 25th September 2014. The major objective is making India the greatest destination for the production and investment. The results of this initiative are favourable for the Indian government. In 2015, India was the top destination globally for foreign direct investment, surpassing the United States of America as well as China. India received a total of US$ 63 billion in FDI. Responses are also favourable for India as Spice, Samsung, Xiaomi, Hitachi, Huawei, and many IT giants established their new production units in the different states of India. Anyone with a basic knowledge of economics’ straight line rule can easily understand that new units will bring not only prosperity to India but also jobs for Indians! Thus, despite the Babbar Sher hallucination of Rahul Gandhi, India is aggressively moving towards a path of development in the production sector and we will surely do something big in the near future.

Coal Block Auction: One of the black patches on the Congress regime was the auction of coal block. They robbed in daylight and looted our country. One of biggest scam in the Indian history was executed, and sadly botched, by the Congress government under the honest nose of Man Mohan Singh, the two times unfortunate prime minister of India. Modi government successfully did this auction two times without creating any buzz at all.

Cooking Gas subsidy: The Rule of subsidies is simple – take taxes from rich and distribute it among poor in welfare projects. Unfortunately, rich are enjoying these schemes rather than the poor. Specially, sticking to the cooking gas, more than half of the Indian population do not have this facility. To strike down these types of long coming corrupt schemes, one needs a hard step. First, Modi government opened bank accounts of poor people under jan dhan yojana and then started giving subsidies directly to their bank accounts. Now, there is no chance for the middleman to do any illegal activity. In the beginning, government asked people to give up their subsidy voluntarily who could afford it. Now, there is no any provision for gas subsidy for the person earning more than 10 lakhs per annum. By this scheme, government has saved more than 35,000 crores. This money, in turn, are spent for poor families to give gas connections to them entirely free of cost. Such a mass movement in the cooking gas history in India was never to be seen despite so many rants of taking the welfare to the end user in the poor Dalit houses where the Congress VP, Rahul Gandhi spends nights and enjoys food time to time. I have seen the officials screaming to the top of their throat in the villages with the help of mics and vehicles and urging the poor to bring gas connection home. Do you see this scheme working? Well, I see.

Rural Electrification: The marrow point in the accumulating agenda of the government is welfare of the poor. These types of steps show a strong determination about completing the tasks what have been promised. Government made a promise to the poor villages that they will provide electricity to 18,452 villages in 1,000 days. These villages have not seen a yellow burning bulb in their life time. According to the data provided and verified officially, 11,478 villages have already been electrified as of now. I have spent almost 18 years of my life at a place called Parwalpur. I remember very well that the person called Nandan Gop who used to deliver milk to our family early in the morning, lived at Nehua Par (officially Nehusa), a rural or rather remote village which has not seen electricity since the independence. It is only sarcasm and nothing else when Sonia Gandhi talks of development and policies of the Congress in her rallies! Thanks to NaMo that Nandan has also the opportunity to see the electric bulb hanging with the help of a nail in his house built with the soil of ‘undeveloped and undelivered’ Indira Awas yojana! This type of real incident shows commitment to the poor and about their grieves.

Skill India: This is one of the greatest schemes launched by Indian government on 16th July 2015 by the prime minister of India, Narendra Modi. The aim of this campaign is to train 400 million youths in the whole country, to meet the needed qualities to get a job or run their own business. Moreover, responses are great that government has receiving from around the globe. On 12 February 2016, Oracle announced that it will build a new 2.8 million square ft. campus in Bengaluru, which will be the largest branch outside of its headquarters in redwood Shore, California. Oracle academy will launch an initiative to train more than half a million students each year to develop computer skills by expanding its partnership to 2,700 institutions in India from 1,700 at present. The major nature of Indian unemployment is cyclical and frictional. Cyclical unemployment is due to economic fluctuations but frictional unemployment is due to us. Recent survey shown by Zee News, more than 70% of our graduates cannot prove their educational qualification when the situation demands so. So, a new introduction of new technology can create a mass unemployment in India. However, if this programme achieves its targets in upcoming years, surely youths will get the employment. The current scenario, as on the ground, is that the program itself has created employment for the trained youths who are providing training to the untrained ones. And then, the after-training conditions are also very enthusiastically welcoming for the unemployed youths of the country.

Demonetisation: The hardest step taken by a government in the Indian History after independence. Now, old notes of 500 and 1000 are no longer legal tender, Government has introduced new notes of 500 and 2000. This step is taken to overcome certain vices in the society. Mainly, black money and counterfeit currency. By this step, government has accumulated more than 800 crores black in 50 days and counting. Of course, it is just a little step to eliminate the patch of black money from India. But, it is just a beginning, many more hard steps are to come in upcoming years. Only this reason that it is a little step cannot shut the mouth of an ordinary Indian to praise government. Once the move was announced by Narendra Modi on 8 November 2016, 8:00 PM, it is very surprising to see that the parties like AAP and leaders like Kejriwal who sprang on the shoulders or Anna and claimed to base their entire politics as a movement against black money and corruption in Indian politics, are opposing the brave stand taken by the NDA government, led by Modi and BJP. Yes, we could not anticipate any support from the Congress and Rahul. Mamta Banerjee has also loosened her cards bare after the demonetisation move and exposed her agendas. To me, as an ordinary citizen of India, as well as for Virat Kohli and also the jumbo of Indian Cricket, Anila da, the move is the bravest and the best yet ever seen in our lives! What else does one need? In a single master stroke, Modi has removed the wide gap between Laloo and a poor man! The question of common minimum wage is answered but in reality it is not practised. Because, producers are doing their business in cash, so, they can easily manage two sheets one for government and another for themselves. Heading towards cashless economy after demonetisation will solve the problem of common minimum wage. All the industrialists are bound to pay the wages of the labours directly in their bank account. So, there will be no any scope of misleading the government.

This is the economic history of Modism in my view, as I am an independent person. Government has introduced small steps but enough to create fresh environment for all round economic development. Previous government was known for the government of scams, expect the concept of NAREGA not the functioning of NAREGA. This government is sharply focused and keenly interested in the upliftment of the weaker section of society.

Friday, 23 December 2016

There have been many books which claim to keep you motivated and charged to take up the challenges thrown to you in your life. Yes, you must be remembering the classics of the motivational books - How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, Think and Grow Rich, The Law of Success etc. And those books are good, no doubt. However, when we look back and check our 'own baskets' we find either very few of just too much. Motivational authors in India easily tend to follow the trail and so 'something like them' forgetting that people in India want things in easier ways. Luckily, we have some of them who understand what Indian readers need in the terms of motivation and inspiration for the life! The Mind Game by Devika Das is one of the motivational books that lets you know things the way you need to know; it's for every section of readers. Let me try to unfold it further for you.

In a chapter entitled 'Failure to Master Your Emotions,' Devika writes about the adverse effects that suppressing one's emotions can bring. Unlike what others could do, she has put the chapter considerably short and to the facts. And the best part I thought was the conclusion; you can read it yourself and judge:

"For instance, you cannot cry if you receive negative feedback during job interviews. However, the main thing is to find suitable [a] opportunity to vent out those negative feelings in a safe and healthy way."

Now, what I see is that it's the best way to tell the thing that she has told! Words are simple and message is rather direct than a scholarly tint attached to it. You cannot keep negative feelings inside you for long as it might harm your progress.

Devika Das, the author, has divided her book The Mind Game in different sections and further discussed important issues of the life in sub-sections which are wonderful. You can either read what you want or just go through the book thoroughly. This book is not aimed at a certain age-group of people or those who are professionals. This book can be equally enjoyed by persons from different sections. Students can take out the suggestions to keep themselves focused as well as professionals working in big firms also need focus in their jobs! Elderly people can understand by reading this book what are they missing in order to combat stress in life. Likewise, people worried about their relationships can take help of the sections in the book to maintain a healthy relationship with their relatives.

Nevertheless, as we all know that today's world is the world of professionalism and rapid-moving technology. As we are a country of youths, they stand often at the receiving end. Most of the difficulties in modern life are faced at our workplaces. Devika has done a wonderful job in presenting the description of the kinds of problems faced in a work environment and also how to fight those successfully. A Happy Workplace - The Secret to a Long, Successful Career is the section that will help young people tremendously! She has rightly pointed out at the very beginning:

"In the modern context, we spend half of our lives at the workplace."

He message is clear enough that we need to keep the another part of our life jolly-jolly! And believe me, you will love the way she has dealt with the section; surely, The Mind Game, as a book, will be helpful for the younger generation of readers who are working professionals.

At the end, while the time to conclude comes, I must say two things. First is that you must read this book if you want to know the common 'how to do' 'when this happens' in the terms of your life. The second thing is that if you want to get another opinion on what a successful life is and how to achieve, you must go through this book. Let me tell you that this is one the best non-fiction books that I have read recently, and you can believe me as I am a reader-at-large! Happy Reading folks and wish you all a good year! Keep rocking!

Wednesday, 21 December 2016

I don’t think we need the fundamentals of Rocket Science to decrypt this message. It’s not encrypted as well; it’s a public knowledge now that terrorists are using the garb of a religion to continue their activities keep harming the civil society. How much our ‘secular media’ might try to hide the truth but it comes open. ‘Islamic Terrorism’ is as much a truth as much is it that the USA has largely contributed in making terrorism a havoc for the world. Obama has no face left to hide and that’s why we have witnessed the loss of Clinton in the recently concluded presidential elections in the United States of America. Now the question is – why the Western media as well as Indian and Asian media silent? Why are our journalists displaying a selective approach while reporting terrorism? Indeed, the argument that terrorism has no religion stands all valid; nevertheless, terrorists are prepared or in better word, routed ‘via Islamic preaching’ cannot be denied as well!

A person kills another person; the killer is special squad’s member and the deceased was an ambassador. Both the persons involved in the unfortunate event were important. The only difference that separated the both was that one was Islamic fanatic and another was yet another victim! How long will it take to acknowledge that there are the people in the world who are serving a cooked up version of the religion Islam to the youths? How long shall we wait to recognize that nations like Pakistan are officially sponsoring terrorism? How many more lives are to be sacrificed on the altar of secular approach towards terrorism?

ISIS – ‘Islamic’ State of Iraq and Syria. Please read the quoted word carefully; there is none else but the terrorists themselves are associating their butchery with the religion. This calls for the religious preachers of the religion targeted to come to the fore and collectively denounce the acts like one happened yesterday. However, it’s very disappointing to learn that some of the religious leaders as well use their following among the masses to legitimise the terror activities. Even more surprising at times, some of them, like Zakir Naik, actually inspire people to indulge in Jihad!

Coming to India, here, we have no dearth at all of the people who are ready now and again to sympathize with the terrorists. Themselves, they bring the religious angle when terrorists are encountered; when they are sentenced to death or even when they are taken into custody. Not only this, young students at certain educational institutions swear to carry on with the work left ‘undone’ by the terrorists like Burhan Wani and Afzal Guru. Wow! What else the terrorists (Mujahids) would need? Free publicity and intellectual fielding are the things that they would dream… How can we hope for a better tomorrow amid all this?

Friends, we need to wake up and first of all acknowledge the danger at hand. We all agree that there is no religion of terror; and then, when one is killed or hanged, please don’t shout foul and raise slogans under the garb of a religion. If they can butcher humanity, then, to save, we will need to have the heart to butcher them even severely than they could imagine!

Tuesday, 20 December 2016

It has become a fashion for some news channels in India and also for the opposition to oppose the policies made by the ruling party; yes, for the sake of 'opposing' it and letting the people know 'yes, we are active in politics, not politically dead yet'. Remember, I am talking about the political parties in toto. I am not including any specific or excluding any particular; I am being truly unbiased like Rabish is in the Hindi journalism. Then, as the Congress in India don't allow anyone to talk about the country as they have not fought for its independence, we youths, at least, should be pardoned with rights to talk about our country's policies. Yes, Rahul ji, because we are born in a free India like you (surely not of rich parents like yours), we must have the right to discuss matters of public interest in the public as well as on digital platforms. The Congress people should not allege that all those who are pro-government are the paid trolls of the BJP.

Now coming to the point, we have been dealing with this demonetization for more than 40 days now. To be more specific, 42 days have passed. Are you in trouble? Is he in trouble? Are they in a panic? Is she crying? Are they dead? Except on the social media and mainstream media, on the ground, I did not find any of such adverse incidents (or accidents). I am living in a suburb now and we have at least 50 bank branches. All of those were functioning smoothly right from the day one of the working days when after 'notebandi' bank started again. Yes, there were lines, longer ones and there are lines too, much shorter now. ATMs were functioning so far so good; some of those were not operational and some of those operated thoroughly. The market was a little slow to catch pace in the early days and now, if you come and see, you will see that it has been smooth and flowing once again! 30 percent of the shops were receiving digital payments and now it has almost gone to 40% and it'd increase with the passing days.

Yes, the most anticipated question - are people happy? I am happy; my family is happy; people around me are happy! Who is sad? Who is worried? I will tell you. Few of the practicing doctors have been caught red-handed trying to convert their black money into white (pink) by several means. Few of the fat-shop owners were frustrated. Moreover, there were also the college and university officials who were worried because of this sudden strike. One of the wardens of a university in Bihar was also worried for his accumulated wealth. You'd be surprised to know that a warden who earns 30 thousand a month had 3 SUVs and at least 4-5 buildings! And there is no worry at all if he gets worried about this decision by PM Modi; in fact, he must be (and everyone like him) worried. The top most person in my state - Nitish Kumar, the CM of Bihar is happy and has been echoing his agreement with the decision of the PM since the day one.

Yet another question of importance is where are we heading now? Will there ever be a cashless economy in India? Can we even make our country a less-cash economy? The answer is YES; we can surely become a less-cash economy and then a lesser-cash economy and then eventually a cash-less economy. This is, never, never, going to be easy, however. Nevertheless, when India became independent, the world did never assume that we could even manage on our own for a decade! Most of the Congressmen would remember that very well as they have ruled the country in those early years. I am very surprised as well as amused when economists and intellectuals omit their harassing outputs daily in the newspapers and also on the electronic media. This Sunday only, I read almost a comedian saying that India can never become a cashless country. 'Never' is a word that has always been the strongest defence of the people with a regressive mindset; I believe that and I hope most of the readers would stand up behind me in an agreement. Not a recent, rather an old study conducted by MasterCard back in 2013 reveals very progressive facts and I request you all to study it closely. Here is the link: http://newsroom.mastercard.com/press-releases/mastercard-study-reveals-the-rapidly-growing-cashless-economies/

You must have found that in the year 2011, out of $ 63 trillion total spends by the consumers across the world, 66%, that is, $ 44 trillion was made by digital mediums! Rest you must have studied in the report itself. Before 1991 (when the 'long run' started in India) we did never imagine that laptops, tablets and i-pads will replace the long pile of files in our banks and government offices - we have done it. This is the country with a great population of youth and the next 3-4 decades are going to be ours! This is the opportunity for us to make our country clean, not only physically, but also clean the mess that we have made of our system. We are already purchasing from Amazon and Flipkart. Why not become completely digital? Yes, WE CAN!

And the political connotations may be many. I am not falling for that horse race. However, I will take the liberty and praise our PM Narendra Modi for his bold decision which the so-called iron lady Indira Gandhi could not make. She feared her elections and Modi cares for the country's future. Let's make India cashless; let's build our future great!

It was not an exceptional case only until I got passed some of the pages of The Allegorical Expedition, a novel written by P Satyadeep. He is a debutant and the choice of his theme rather surprised me at first instance; you can go ahead and try and I do hope that surprise will be equally impressive for you too!

In a quick-flash way, if I tell you, the novel is about a successful movie director who wishes to explore such a theme which is genuine and at the same time, untouched, different than the rush. To pursue the same desire of him, and also being frustrated by the anticipations, expectations and boredom in the day-to-day life, SJ, the protagonist, sets out for an expedition to the places far and remote. He finds so many people and reaches so many places; he interacts with different kinds of personalities; he explores the regions unknown; he finds solace in studying and revisiting the mythological texts and thus, he reaches the theme for his movie that he was seeking so earnestly. Moreover, he does not only get the plot and theme of a movie, he also understands the realities of life in the same course! And this is the novel that you would like so much to read once you start with it.

Where is the Allegory? Anyone who sees the title of the book might ask this question the very next moment. The allegory in the novel The Allegorical Expedition is quite evident in the pages. Have a look at the chapter titles and read the ones you like - you will easily find two layers of the text throughout... indeed, such a kind of textual maturity from the first time novelist was a pleasant surprise to me. I have really appreciated the theme selection of P Satyadeep who has decided to something different than what the usual novelists in India are doing. I would like to draw the attention of my readers towards a work by Larry Woiwode - Beyond the Bedroom Walls. I hope you can easily understand what I mean by this allusion - and if not, let me tell you that for the artists and creative persons, there are many things beyond the bedroom walls! I have seen one - P Satyadeep, getting out of the walls in the very first attempt. I hope that his effort will motivate the future novelists, as the profession is very popular today, to do something different.

Reading folks, I will tell all of you that his work The Allegorical Expedition is a must read and you should try your reading senses on it. Grab a copy of the book and find yourself some happy hours and curious instincts reading it... happy reading!